conditioning system can cause damage to the IT equipment.
Fires can be started by careless handling of sources of fire (e.g. unattended open flames,
welding and soldering work, etc.), but also through improper use of electrical equipment (e.g.
unattended coffee machines, overloaded power strips). Technical defects in electrical devices
can also start a fire.
The following factors can help spread a fire, among other factors:
• Wedging open doors separating fire zones
• Improper storage of flammable material (e.g. waste paper)
• Failure to observe relevant standards and regulations for preventing fires
• Absence of fire detection and alarm systems (e.g. smoke detectors)
• Missing or unusable hand-held fire extinguishers or automatic extinguishing
equipment (e.g. gas extinguishing systems)
• Poor fire prevention measures (e.g. the absence of fire seals in cable trays or the use of
unsuitable insulation materials in heat and noise insulation).
Examples:
• In the early 1990’s, a mainframe computer centre near Frankfurt suffered catastrophic
fire damage that lead to its complete failure.
• Small electrical appliances such as coffee machines and table lamps are frequently
installed improperly or in the wrong place, and can then cause fires.
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Fire can cause serious damage to people, buildings and their equipment. In addition to the
direct damage caused by fire, there may be consequential damage whose effects, especially to
information technology, can reach catastrophic proportions. For example, damage from the
water used to fight the fire can occur not only at the immediate site of the fire. It can also
occur in lower parts of buildings. Burning PVC generates chlorine gases that form
hydrochloric acid when they come into contact with moist air and extinguishing water. If the
resulting hydrochloric acid vapours are spread via the air conditioning system, sensitive
electronic devices located in a part of the building far from the site of the fire may become
damaged. However, even "normal" smoke generated by a fire and spread by the air
conditioning system can cause damage to the IT equipment.
Fires can be started by careless handling of sources of fire (e.g. unattended open flames,
welding and soldering work, etc.), but also through improper use of electrical equipment (e.g.
unattended coffee machines, overloaded power strips). Technical defects in electrical devices
can also start a fire.
The following factors can help spread a fire, among other factors:
• Wedging open doors separating fire zones
• Improper storage of flammable material (e.g. waste paper)
• Failure to observe relevant standards and regulations for preventing fires
• Absence of fire detection and alarm systems (e.g. smoke detectors)
• Missing or unusable hand-held fire extinguishers or automatic extinguishing
equipment (e.g. gas extinguishing systems)
• Poor fire prevention measures (e.g. the absence of fire seals in cable trays or the use of
unsuitable insulation materials in heat and noise insulation).
Examples:
• In the early 1990’s, a mainframe computer centre near Frankfurt suffered catastrophic
fire damage that lead to its complete failure.
• Small electrical appliances such as coffee machines and table lamps are frequently
installed improperly or in the wrong place, and can then cause fires.